The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce has entered into a partnership with Athens State University to offer employees of member businesses access to more affordable education.

The agreement signed by ASU president Catherine Wehlburg and Chamber president Joey Orr Tuesday, June 25, is the latest in a string of partnerships the university has entered into which include Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce, the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce and the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.

“Our mission is to help our students get to where they want in life. Sometimes that means coming back to finish a degree after having been out for a while. Other times that means changing direction and taking another path,” Wehlburg said. “Our learning partnerships are a way to help get the word out and provide the information more than we might do otherwise.”

Under the agreement, all chamber member employees and their immediate family members — parents, spouses and children — will receive a 10 percent discount on all tuition costs which includes certification classes and adult learning degrees. Eligible students can also receive a free evaluation of previously earned credits and certifications to determine their amount of transferable credits and will have any application fees waived.

Students are simply required to provide proof of employment by each semester’s payment deadline to receive the discount.

Orr said with an extensive network of more than 700 businesses, which includes the county’s five largest employers, she would be unable to begin to put a number on the number of Cullman residents who will be affected by the partnership.

“It’s going to touch every part of the community,” Orr said.

With more industries making shifts to include automation and artificial intelligence, Orr said this also gives employers a chance to advocate for retraining their already dedicated employees for incoming skilled positions.

“This is definitely a good opportunity for some of those existing employees to be able to go back and learn new skills. It used to be that everything was taught through apprenticeship, but things have become technologically advanced now that there are times when those master-teachers may not have all of the newest or latest information,” Orr said.

Wallace State Community College has also maintained previous partnerships with ASU to ease the burden of transferring and create a more cohesive pathway to earning a four-year degree for students.

Orr added that early applicants under the program who look to enroll before the end of June will receive and additional 10 percent discount.